Combination muzzle brake and grenade launcher for portable firearms



Feb. 20, 1962 Filed June 30, 1960 P. C. BERETTA COMBINATION MUZZLE BRAKE AND GRENADE LAUNCI-IER FOR PORTABLE FIREARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 r All!! Alf!! E!!! jf vanter:

we r Carlo "554- Feb. 20, 1962 P. c. BERETTA COMBINATION MUzzLE BRAKE AND GRENADE LAUNOHER FOB PORTABLE FIREABNS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1960 Feb. 20, 1962 P. c. BERETTA 3,021,633

COMBINATION MUzzLE BRAKE ANO GRENADE LAUNOHER FOR PORTABLE FIREARMS Filed June 30, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IHIII Il MI dflg Patented Feb. 20,19i2

3,021,633 COMBINATION MUZZLE lBRAKE AND GRENADE LAUNCHER FR PORTABLE FIRES. Pier Carlo Beretta, Via Siepi 6, Gardone VT.,

. Brescia, Italy FiledJune 30, 1960, Ser. No.140,495' v Claims priority, application Italy Apr. 2, 1960 Y 4 Claims.f (CL' 42-1) Numerous prototypes of portable firearms (guns, pistols, etc.) lactuated with gas intake, have complementary devices adapted to transform occasionally the weapon int-o a bomb-thrower (or grenade-thrower) by' utilizing a throwing oharge'tha't' is made to explode inthe barrel of the weapon. The gases generated-by the explosion impart to the born-b fitted 4at thefront'e'nd of the barrel the necessary impulse for detachingit fromthelweapon and covering a determined trajectory.

In order that the thrust of the gasishould attain' maximum eiectiveness fory the above object however it is necessary to avoid any dispersion thereof.A Therefore, it is necessary that thegas intake that normally vproduces automatic operation of the weapon beoccludedl The occlusion is obtained -by means'of interconnected valves ap plied to the gas intake device, which are actuated by hand.A Their actuation-y however' appears to be hindered sometimes by the'presence of dirt, incrustations etc;; and it isto obviate that'inconveniencethatthe device accordingmovement and on the' position or said sightupright, since anlexternal tube which forms a part of the ymuzzle brake displacesitself longitudinallyupon movementof said upright to which it is mechanically connected.`

Merely by way of example there is described hereinafterl the applicationV of the invention tok the American l Garan'd Mod; 30 Ml' rifle; However, it is pointed out that convenient modifications tothe specificA constructive characteristics of each individual type of weapon make application possible also to' other similar weapons'.

It should be noted before that with the cited Garand model rie,the gas intake consists of a hole provided inlthebarrel in the proximity off the muzzle; that said hole is in communication with the interior of ther-gas in# take cylinder iixed below the barrel by means of suitable ferrules; and that thef'temporaryinterception ofV the passage of gas between barrel and'cylinder isf effectedywhe'n one wishes toactuate the original bomb-throwing device of the weapongby meansof a valve applied to the front end Yof saidscylinderfand held open bythe bomb-throwing device, Vwhile thisprevents automatic operation of the weapon, it causesthe dispersionzint'o the `atmosphere of a considerable amount of gases generated by theY charge which, therefore', are not totally Yexploited for the purposes of the bomb-throwing because the eiiecty of the valve then is to establish a momentary communication between v the interior of the chamber `and the atmosphere preventing thereby the operation of the piston which slides inthe gas intake cylinder.

With the invention hereinafter described the holep'rovided radiallyl in the barrelfremains unalteredf and so iremainsunaltered 1 in: itsshap'e .and in itswfunction." 'I'l1`e1ga`s intake cylinder-W below the' barrel ,'4 however; is i not* fixed gid1yftothe barrel vbusts fmounted' s1idab1ythereon, so that` a displacement of theV cylinder in the vlongitudinal direction suiiices to interrupt the communication'between the-interior off the barrellandftheinterior of the: cylinder' or, if operation is inreversesense, to restorerit.

Moreover, that longitdinal displacement inthe Vtwo directions is obtainable by operating a lever withwhicli the cyl-inderis connected and which issusc'eptible of lrotation in the-vertical plane.l Said leverconstitutes moreL over the upright offthe sightfvfor `the?bomb-thrown.

A's a' consequencev` the operation necessaryf to prepare thesight for bomb-throwing causes immediatelyf'the occlusion'of the gas intake device; whicho'cclusion is nec'- essary, as' has been'seen,A to ensure' maximum throw range for tlief;bomb`. Viceversa, when o n'elwislie'sto reutilize the weapon'for its normal; use, the'freturnr of the upright of the sight-to vitsinactive'positior1-causesfthe longitudinalidisplacement of th'e'cylinder iniv reverses'ense', thus restoring' Ithe l normal: operation of the gas 1. intakeg and, consequently,1the `normal:v condition of the` devices for closing, cooking and feedingjsaid weapon for the'pur'- pose of its operation"as'anaautomatierie:

References; is' made here` to the. embodiment illustrated by lmere'wa'y of examplelinfthe' accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGLI represents thefdevioeinfaxial (longitudinal) sectionwhen the weapon: is preparedlforoperation'as= a rilie;

FIG. 2 represents apartial'rs'ectionlalongithe line.1-2"''2 of FIG. l;

FIG.l 3 represents the' 'deviceof' FIG; 1 but'pre'paredfor operation of the weapon-asav hombthrower;

FIG; 4i represents a partial section taken alongf the line 4 4 of'FIG. 3;'

,51 represents a cross-section'oi the device taken along thefline S-Sof-FIG; 3;

FIGS..Y 61 and17V 'show the slidablesferruleli in side and front views respectively;- and` FIGS'. 8and9 show the iixe'dferrule 'Tini-side andfront t views, respectively. Y

Withrefer'ence to the accompanying drawings; in FIfv; 1 is illustratedthe device` applied, by way of exampleV as already said, to' the GarandModl 30`Ml` semi-automatic rife. Thersightf upright '14 ofthe bomb-thrower is down and, consequently, the gasintake hole -of the barrel is in correspondence withv theV bore providedin the wallofthe cylinder and, therefore, Vther-efis directcommunic'ationf between the barrelv 'and cylinder: In:v said positon -the'wea'pon is ready'for operationY as an automatic rifle;y

With-referencejnumeral- 'I is 'indicated the barrel of the weaponwhich has the'radial holeorl gas intake 2 in communication through portf'with-the interior ofv the cylinder' 3 which 'encloses the devices used in the automaticl operation ofthe' ritie. The cylinder 3 is closed by a plug 4 and'is mountedonthe barrel 1 bymeansof a ferruleVv 5 isusceptible of longitudinal sliding,V On the muzzle end of the barrel there is kscrewed the trumpet tube 6 which constitutes an extension of said barrel and is destined to support the bomb which is to be thrown. (It should be noted that the application ofsad extension 6 does not prejudice, infanyway, the oper-ation of the weapon as an 4automatic rifle). The Ytrumpet tube 6y in fact has an axial bore with a gauge not less than that of the barrelrand has, in. its. bore one or more chambers where its bore diameter is sensibly widened; andv has conveniently arrangedslits in. thewall of' the trumpet tube which put these chambers incommunic'ation with' the' atmosphere.

ln FIG. 3 is illustrated the device prepared for operation as a bomb-thrower. Consequently, the operation of the weapon -as an automatic rifle is temporarily prevented.

The sight upright 14 is brought by band to vertical position and by elect of said movement and of the devices hereinafter described, the cylinder 3 is compelled to slide backwards just as much as needed in order that the hole 2 for gas intake is no longer aligned with port 3 and the interior of said cylinder. In that way the entire volume of the gas generated by the explosion of the cartridge is available at the mouth of the barrel for the action of throwing the `bomb which is to be Itted into the extension 6.

The assembly and operation of the device are as follows. On the perforated cylindrical extension 6 (the external diameter of which and the length of which will be dimensioned in relationship with the weapon and with the type of bomb one intends to adopt) is fitted the ferrule 7 provided with a forked extension 7 in whose furcations there are provided the holes 8 that hold the pin 9. The ferrule 7 is then secured to the body 6.

Behind ferrule 7 there is mounted to slide, again on the extension` `6, a second ferrule which is shaped at its top as a fork with furcations `12 and which by means of a ring '13 below and rigid therewith, can embrace the head 4 of the plug of the gas intake cylinder 3. On the pin 9 which iinds housing in the holes 8 of the xed ferrule 7, there are mounted, in symmetrical position with respect to the vertical axial plane of the weapon, the cam and the sight upright 14 connected to the pin 9 by means of suitable adjustments, so as to be rigid therewith. The pin 9 terminates at one side in a xed button and at its other side in la counter-nut secured to the pin 9 by means of a removable member (split or cotter pin or the like).

The assembly so mounted is then screwed onto the muzzle of the gun, as an extension thereof.

lf the upright of the sight is down, namely held in horizontal position (FIG. d), the gas intake hole 2 in the barrel is in register with the bore of the cylinder 3 through the corresponding port 3'. At the time of the firing of the cartridge, part of the gases passes therefore from the barrel to the interior of the cylinder and actuates the device provided for the automatic operation of the rile. If the sight upright 14 is turned manually 90 to the vertical position of FIG. 3, the weapon is automatically prepared for operation as a bomb-thrower.

In fact as a consequence of the rotation imparted to the upright 14 which is rigid with the pin 9 mounted on the ferrule 7 xed to the body 6, the cam 15 that rotates rigid with the upright 14, acting upon the symmetrical fork 12 of the slidable ferrule 5, compels the latter to move rearwardly while sliding on the exterior of the body 6. Since the ferrule 5 embraces, by means of the ring 13, the head 4 of the closing plug for the cylinder 3, also the latter is compelled to slide backwards and to the same extent` Consequently the external surface of the cylinder 3 closes the hole 2 or gas intake provided in the barrel, thereby intercepting the gases normally directed to the interior of the cylinder 3 and preventing the operation of the devices that have relationship with the automatic operation of the rifle. The entire volume of the gas generated by the explosion is so available for the throwing of the bomb.

The rotation in reverse sense of the aforesaid sight upright 14 causes an elfect contrary to the one just described and the weapon is restored to initial position as illustrated in FIG. 1 and, therefore, it can resume its operation as an automatic rille.

Moreover, the extension of the barrel 6 or the trumpet tube, which is bored and perforated, as stated, in order to permit passage of the bullet and of the gases has one or more chambers 17 in the walls of which there are provided through slits 18 which permit the partial discharge of the gases to the atmosphere. These slits are, however, occludable by means of a pipe 19 mounted concentrically with the extension 5, slidable thereon and having perforations 19 therein alignable with the slits 18 in the chambers 17.

Said pipe 19 has two fins 20 which extend as far as the slidable ferrule 5 already mentioned, to which they are fastened by means of pins 2d and 21 which pass through holes 5 in ferrule 5.

The consequence is that when the rotation of the sight upright 14 effected by hand, causes the displacement of the slidable ferrule 5, said movement causes also the rectilinear and contemporaneous displacement of the gas intake cylinder 3 and the tube 19.

With reference to FIG. 1, which represents the weapon prepared for operation as a rifle, it will be noted that the sight upright is down, that the gas intake opening between the barrel 1 and the cylinder 3 is free and that the slits 18 are uncovered or aligned with perforations 19. Consequently the shooting of a cartridge causes the normal operation of the rearming mechanism of the weapon and the propulsion of the bullet. Moreover the gases that expand in chamber 17 partly escaped to the outside through the slits 18 which are open, thereby exerting an effective action of muzzle brake for the rifle.

With reference to FIG. 3, which represents the weapon as prepared for operation as a bomb-thrower, it will be noted that the upright of Vthe sight has been erected to vertical position; that by effect of that movement and of the connections existing the gas intake aperture between the barrel 1 and the cylinder 3 has become closed; and that the slits 1S have been covered by the tube 19.

Consequently the gases generated by the shooting of the cartridge cannot enter the cylinder 3 nor can they actuate the rearming mechanism of the weapon. More-' over, since the slits 18 lare closed, the entire volume of said gases remains available at the mouth of the trumpet tube `6 to :impart to the bomb applied thereto the maxi mum possible throw range.

I claim:

l. The combination with a portable irearm having a barrel with a port therein and through which the gases of tiring may escape to elect automatic operation of said rearm, of a combined grenade-launching and muzzlebraking device for said firearm comprising a tubular member secured to said barrel coaxially thereof to project forwardly beyond the muzzle end of said barrel, said tubular member having a plurality of ports extending through its wall, and a member mounted on said tubular member to slide axially thereof and having a plurality of ports therethrough, which are adapted to be moved by sliding movement of said last-named member in opposite directions into and out of registry with the ports of said tubular member to render said muzzle brake operative and inoperative, respectively, and closure means secured to the last-named member and operative upon movement of said last-named member in opposite directions, respectively, to open and close the first-named port in said barrel, respectively.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure means includes a cylinder mounted on said barrel with its axis parallel to the axis of said barrel for movement in the direction of the axis of said barrel` and having an opening therein which upon movement of said lastnamed member in opposite directions is moved into and out of alignment with said first-named port, said cylinder operating, when said opening is out of alignment with said first-named port, to close off the latter to prevent the escape of gases therethrough.

3. 'Ihe combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein a cam is rotatably mounted on said tubular member and is operatively connected both to said 1astnamed member and to said closure means, and manually-operable means is provided for rocking said cam in opposite directions to eiect simultaneous movement of said last-named memdirection to cause said ports in said last-named member to ber and said closure means in one direction or the other be positioned out of registry with the ports in said tubudepending upon the direction of movement of said cam. lar member and to close said first-named port.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein said manually operable means comprises a grenade launching 5 References Cited in the le of this patent sighting lever secured at one end to said cam and pivotal UNITED STATES PATENTS between a vertical position in which it extends normal t0 said tubular member, and a horizontal position parallel 2,770,904 WeiSS NOV- 20, 1955 to said tubular member, said lever being operative upon 2,788,599 Brandt Apr- 16, 1957 movement to its vertical positon to rotate said cam in a 10 2,883,781 Harvey Apr. 28, 1959 

